More weekly readings: Captain Johnson’s Criticisms | Delay in the framework agreement
So we always talk about Patrick Cantlay’s hat.
In fact, the absence of a hat, the fact that he did not wear one during the Ryder Cupand what it may or may not mean.
You have to admit, the Ryder Cup never fails to deliver when it comes to the various dramas that unfold during an event that’s supposed to be an exhibition of goodwill celebrating the game.
This is especially true when the United States loses, and even more so lately.
Think back to the consequences of Tiger Woods–Phil Mickelson two-game duo in 2004 at Oakland Hills. The United States went 18½–9½ at home and Woods and Mickelson went 0–2, leading to much criticism of captain Hal Sutton.
There were the rain suits that didn’t work in Wales in 2010, the decision to rest Mickelson and Keegan Bradley at Medinah in 2012, and Tom Watson’s ill-fated captaincy in 2014 at Gleneagles, where Mickelson’s harsh criticism of the captain — sitting a few seats away — led to a major structural change for the U.S. Ryder Cup effort.
Patrick Cantlay’s hatless look has taken over the Ryder Cup.
Andrew Medichini/AP
Five years ago at Le Golf National in France, captain Jim Furyk made the surprising decision to split the successful team of Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth, placing Spieth with Justin Thomas. This duo went 3-1, but Reed was terrible in his tag team matches with Woods – and then blew off steam on the New York Times.
Now it’s HatGate, although there probably is more pressing issues that have brought down the American team abroad againextending their streak of futility in Europe to 30 years.
The consequences are Cantlay’s decision not to wear a hat, the possibility that he did so to protest not being paid, and whether or not it caused a division within the U.S. team.
Forget the fact that in all of these examples, there were many examples of poor play leading to defeat.
Michael Bamberger of Home collective The website reported over the weekend that Cantlay appeared on the first tee Friday morning before the first Ryder Cup session to the greeting of NBC’s Steve Sands, who noted that the golfer was not wearing a hat.
“I’ll wear a hat when I get paid to be here like him,” Cantlay reportedly told Sands, referring to longtime PGA of America director Julius Mason. Bamberger reported that this exchange was relayed to him by three different Americans who were near the first tee.
The story took off on the second day of the Ryder Cup when Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir reported something similar, but added that it caused a rift in the US team room.
Weir’s report spread throughout the day to Marco Simone, to the point that during Cantlay’s four-ball match with partner Wyndham Clark against Rory McIlroy became quite heated, with fans taunting Cantlay throughout, taking note of his alleged gambling-for-pay wishes.
The problem? Cantlay had no idea what they were doing and what was being addressed to him. Neither did Fred Couples, an assistant captain for the American team who caught up with the group on the 14th hole and had to ask what all the fuss was happening.
The couple relayed all of this on his SiriusXM radio show and went so far as to say that caddy Joe LaCava’s actions on the 18th green were not “disrespectful,” even though they led to arguments between the caddy and McIlroy on the green and later that evening.
Cantlay has repeatedly stated that he did not go without a hat because of any protest. But something was clearly happening, and Xander SchauffeleStefan’s father said as early as Saturday afternoon, following Weir’s report, that there was a money problem. He dismissed any protest, however, saying Cantlay was leaving without a hat because of his desire to avoid unsightly tan lines from his impending marriage.
One day we will look back on all this and wonder if people have lost their collective minds.
You don’t wear a hat?
It could very well be that Cantlay protested – he vehemently denied it on Saturday and Sunday – and that it had no impact on Team USA.
“It’s getting old that we’re so bad in team rooms,” Couples said of the idea that Team USA doesn’t get along. “I mean, it’s laughable. Is there a better team room than theirs because they won and they all come from different countries? I don’t know. They’re all great guys. Our team is phenomenal. I mean, I would sit there every night and watch them.
“Don’t believe all this bullshit. These guys are all together.”
Not that they would admit otherwise, but several members of the American team expressed similar opinions. And if there were problems, they would be more likely to say nothing rather than object so harshly to the narrative.
“That couldn’t be further from the truth. There hasn’t been a single word about (the tag team division) all week,” Cantlay said. “Team USA has been close all week. These are just outright lies. Not a shred of truth in the article written by a single journalist. It’s crazy that a journalist can post a tweet totally unfounded, containing complete lies.”
It’s probably safe to say that Cantlay’s actions didn’t cause the kind of problems predicted.
But his alleged desire to pay for the Ryder Cup it is unlikely to disappear. It’s safe to assume that Cantlay was there with Schauffele, who his father said balked in front of the Netflix cameras at the Ryder Cup. This resulted in a team vote and Netflix being banned from participating. This question also seems to be more about money than access.
It remains to be seen how this will play out. But there’s no denying that an American defeat at the Ryder Cup manages to grab headlines long after the European celebrations have ended.
